Our Kingdom
by Vanus Empty
Summary: We will be happy the next time around. CainRiff, volume 8.


I read volume 8 of _Godchild_ and my heart broke. A missing scene demanded to be written. Massive spoilers, so, unless you want to be spoiled, a suggest you turn the other way!

I probably shouldn't have done this, but, the song that was on repeat was Globus' "Prelude (On Earth As In Heaven.)" I think it's a fitting song for them. (Though, I also have Samurai Deeper Kyo's Julian and Ian coming to mind, too. Hm.)

**Disclaimer:** Belongs to Kaori Yuki.

* * *

Cain smiled lightly up at Riff, his arms around the older man's neck. "You made me cry," he told him quietly and despite the roof collapsing, he knew Riff had heard him. The two slowly sank to the ground and Cain turned his body so that his back was against Riff's chest. He was pleased when both Riff's good arm and the deteriorating arm locked around him. 

"I apologize, Lord Cain," Riff murmured softly into Cain's ear.

"Cain," he corrected. "I believe we can drop the formalities." He sensed a small smile appearing on Riff's lips.

Nodding, Riff carefully settled Cain between his legs. "I suppose we can... Cain."

A brief, comfortable silence passed between the two. After deciding that the sounds of the building collapsing were too much, Riff said, "I wonder if Hell is our next destination."

Cain laughed softly. "I don't think God would welcome us into His Home."

"That's not what I mean," Riff said, resting his cheek against Cain's dark hair – he noticed that his right arm was completely skeletal now. "What I meant to say was, there are some cultures that believe in reincarnation – the concept of rebirth," he needlessly added.

"Do _you_ believe in it?" Cain asked, turning his head slightly to catch the other man's eyes.

Riff gave a small shrug. "I do not know." He paused and added wryly, "It certainly has a better appeal than eternally burning in Hell, though."

Chuckling, Cain pressed his left hand against Riff's thigh, a gesture he had never had enough courage to do before, but figured he might as well – after all, they were going to die. "Yes, it does." He paused for a long time before saying, "If reincarnation is real... do you think we would meet again in the next life?"

"Of course," Riff answered instantly, gripping Cain tighter to his chest with his good arm. "Even if we are not born near each other, I would hunt the earth for you."

Cain felt his throat constrict and he nodded fiercely. "And I wouldn't rest until I found you as well." He smiled slightly, ignoring the burning feeling at his eyes even as he twirled Mikaila's–Suzette's–emerald ring.

"Miss Merry will be there, too – though, hopefully, not for a long time," Riff added.

"I'll haunt Oscar if he lets her follow anytime before she has grandchildren," Cain muttered darkly, only half joking.

Riff laughed. "You do realize that means _he_ would be the grandfather, right?" He smiled when he heard Cain grunt out "don't remind me." Shaking his head in amusement, he said, "Don't worry. His feelings for her are sincere and he will protect her."

"Oh, I know. It doesn't mean I have to like it," Cain said in a huff.

The oddness of the situation did not pass the two. They were speaking like it was a normal day – Cain had not just killed his father, Jezebel had not died, Riff had never become "Riffael" and they weren't about to die in a collapsing building. The two just believed it was better to talk about happy – or relatively happy – things.

"...I love you," Cain suddenly confessed, resting his head against Riff's. He felt more than saw Riff smile.

"And I you, Cain," Riff said, pressing a kiss to Cain's temple.

A chunk of the roof above the two collapsed, sending glass and other shrapnel descending upon the two. Riff moved, covering Cain with his body out of instinct. The pain of the glass shards embedding themselves into the soft flesh of his back did not register in his mind, only concern for his once master. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Cain turned, stricken. "We will be happy the next time," he swore, voice cracking under the stress of his constricted throat and the effort it took to not cry. Both of Riff's arms are skeletal now and half of his face is starting to deteriorate now – he would die within a minute, from the wounds from the glass or the deterioration, he didn't know.

Riff just gave him a sad sort of smile, pulling Cain as close to him as his legs could push him – his arms are useless now. He buried his face in Cain's shoulder.

God or the Devil, whomever had a hand in Cain's life, granted him a small mercy then – he died the exact same moment he heard the soft, final exhale from Riff at his ear.

* * *

When Dominic Clehadol found them minutes later, he knew he would never forget the small, peaceful smile on Cain's lips as he lay, as if sleeping, in the arms of the person he loved most. 

_We will be happy the next time – together._


End file.
